Sheet-metal structural element.



G. L. DUNBAR.

SHEET METAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 13120.17, 1912.

1,096,612, Patented May 12, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANoanAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D, t.

UNITED STATE S BATENT OFFICE.

CLIFFORD L. DUNBAR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SHEET-METAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD L. DUNBAR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of "Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Metal Structural Elements, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to structural elements, and it is the particular object of the invention to obtain a construction of sheet metal beam in which the adjacent portions are connected and braced by one or more sections struck out from adjacent to the neutral axis of one or both portions of the member.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of this bracing member further in the construction of the beam or other structural member of a folded blank; and further in various features of construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the beam is formed...

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of the completed beam. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line mzr Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section on line yy Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified construction.

My improved beam or structural member comprises essentially a sheet metal member having a portion struck out from adjacent to the plane of the neutral axis and folded to form a connecting brace with an adjacent member. A simple form is illustrated in Fig. 5, in which a sheet metal blank is bent to form an angle bar having the adjacent flanges A and B. From the flange A a section G is struck out from the portion adj acent to the plane of the neutral axis, which section is then folded to lie in a plane transverse to that of the flange A with the edge which was originally next to the edgea adjacent to said flange A and extending parallel thereto until the edge b is in close proximity to the flange B. The flange B also has a section D struck out in a similar manner and folded to overlap the section C to which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 737,159.

it is rigidly secured by suitable means such as spot-welding or riveting. These two sections are, however, preferably struck out from unalined portions of the flanges A and B, extending upon opposite sides of the plane of the folded sections so as to avoid weakening the member at any one point in its length. The sections are also preferably of greater length than width so as to be formed of metal that is out of work by reason of its proximity to the neutral axis and yet of sullicient extent to form the brace. In Figs. 1 to f inclusive, I have shown a beam which is formed in a similar manner, having adjacent web portions thereof cross-braced and connected to each other in a similar manner. Fig. 1 represents the blank before folding, which comprises three portions E F G, folded upon the dotted lines II I J K L and M to form parallel webs of the portions E and G, a cap of the portion F and returnbent flanges N of the portions between the dotted lines 11 J and K M. These three portions E F and G are then connected and cross-braced by struck-out portions similar to those shown in Fig. 5. In detail, the por- I tion E has a section 0 which is struck out from adjacent to the plane of the neutral axis and is of sufficient length so that when folded along the oblique line P it will extend adjacent to the cap section F. The op posite edges of this section 0 lie adjacent to the portion E and the parallel web portion G, forming a brace therebetween. The web section G is provided with a similarly struclc out and folded portion Q, while the portion F has a section It struck out therefrom and bent downward. All of these struck-out sections lie in transverse parallel planes adjacent to each other, and they are rigidly secured by riveting, spot-welding, or in any other suitable manner as indicated at S. The apertures formed by the striking-out of these sections are, however, alined with each cent thereto as indicated by the dotted lines T, which sections may be riveted or spotwelded to the section F.

While I have shown the construction as formed from an integral blank, it is obvious that it might be formed from separate sections riveted, spot-welded, or otherwise secured to each other, and cross-braced in a similar manner.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a structural element, the combination with spaced web members, of a section struck out from the metal of one of said webs adjacent to the neutral axis thereof, said section being folded inward between said webs to form a spacer and brace-member therefor.

2. In a structural element, the combination with spaced web members, of a section struck out from the metal adjacent to the neutral axis of one of said web members of a width corresponding to the space between said webs, said section being bent inward in a plane transverse to the webs and folded at an angle to extend with its opposite edges adjacent to said webs.

3. In a structural element, the combination of spaced web members, a section struck out from the metal adjacent to the neutral axis of one of said web members, being of a width equal to the space between said web members and of a greater length, said section being bent inward into a plane transverse to the webs and folded at an angle to extend with its opposite edges adjacent to said webs, and a flange struck out from the opposite web member extending parallel and secured to said section.

4. A. structural element, comprising a sheet metal blank folded to form a cap portion and parallel spaced web portions extending in planes transverse to the cap, one of said web members having a section thereof adjacent to the neutral axis partially severed and folded inward, said section being then folded at an angle to extend between said webs with its opposite edges adjacent thereto, and a struck-out section from the opposite web lying adjacent and secured to said section,

5. A structural element, comprising a sheet metal blank folded to form a cap member and parallel web portions extending in planes transverse to the plane of the cap, said webs having corresponding sections partially severed therefrom adjacent to the neutral axis and folded inward, said sections being of a width corresponding to the spacing between said webs, and each being folded at an angle to extend with its opposite edges adjacent to said webs, and a section struck downward from the metal of said cap lying adjacent to said folded section and being secured thereto.

6. A structural element, comprising a sheet metal blank'folded to form a cap memher and parallel web portions extending in planes transverse to the plane of the cap, unalined sections struck out from said web portions adjacent to the neutral axes thereof folded inward to lie adjacent to each other and to extend between said webs, said sections being secured to each other to form a connecting brace, and means for attaching said brace to said cap sect-ion.

7. A structural element, comprising a sheet metal blank folded to form a cap memher and parallel web portions in planes transverse to the plane of said cap, unalined sections struck inward from said web portions adjacent to the neutral axes thereof and bent to lie in adjacent planes, the width of said sections corresponding to the space between said webs and being of a greater length and folded at an angle to have their opposite edges lie adjacent to said webs, and their ends extending adjacent to said cap, and a section struck down from said cap lying adjacent to said sections from the webs and secured thereto.

8. In a structural element, the combina tion with a sheet metal web of a section struck out therefrom adjacent to the plane of the neutral axis thereof, folded upon itself and bent to lie in a transverse plane with one edge parallel and adjacent to the original plane of the web, said section for1n ing a cross-brace or connection with an adjacent member.

9. In a structural element, the combination with a web portion, of a section struck out from the metal lying adjacent to the plane of the neutral axis of said web, being of greater length than width, said section being folded upon itself to lie in a transverse plane wit-l1 one edge thereof extending par-. allel and adj acent to the original plane, and an adjacent web section having a struck-out portion overlapping said first-mentioned struck-out section and connected thereto 10. In a structural element, a sheet metal web having a section struck out from the metal lying adjacent to the plane of the neutral axis thereof and of greater length than width, said section being folded upon itself to lie in a transverse plane with one edge parallel and adjacent to the original plane and extending laterally from the aperture formed in the web by the removal of the section, and a flange bent from said web to lie in a plane at an angle thereto, said flange having a struck-out portion lying adjacent to said first-mentioned struckout portion and secured thereto.

11. A structural element comprising a sheet metal member bent to form a beam having web portions in transverse planes, a section struck out from one of said web portions adjacent to the plane of the lying adjacent to the first-mentioned struckneutral axis thereof and folded upon itself out portlon and secured thereto. 10 to lie in a plane transverse to both of said In testimon whereof I afiix my signature Web sections, one edge of said section lying in presence of two Witnesses.

' adjacent to its original plane and one end CLIFFORD L. DUNBAR.

thereof extending adjacent to the plane of Witnesses: the other Web portion, and a section struck JAMES P. BARRY, out from the last-mentioned Web portion DELBERT COLLINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

